


I Exist

by Snarkyowl



Series: Gangs au [1]
Category: Markiplier Egos
Genre: AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-10
Updated: 2017-09-10
Packaged: 2018-12-26 02:04:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12049038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snarkyowl/pseuds/Snarkyowl
Summary: Dark finally makes a small debut





	I Exist

A man dressed impeccably in a suit of dark grey. His tie, a dark black, rests down the center of his chest. His hair, almost immaculate save for the way it drops slightly into his face over one eye. His posture is rigidly straight up and down, his shoes click on the ground beneath him as he walks. The only warning you receive is the clicking of those shoes, and the ringing that seems to follow him everywhere. Ringing as though you had blown out your ear drum.

His skin is pale, inhumanly so, and his eyes are the only thing about him that has any kind of color at all. A deep brown, nearly black, glints behind the shadows of his face.

The only problem with such a terrifying visage is that over the course of time, he’s begun to become more of a legend and less of a real being. Despite what most believe, this man that has been described is real. Perhaps not true to that extent of detail, but he is no demonic myth. No, he is a real man and he is the current co-leader of the Iplier gang in the eastern side of the city.

\----

Dark looks up as the door opens, revealing Mark leading Host along behind him. The only two visitors he ever has, aside from Mark’s girlfriend Amy. She comes in to make sure he’s eaten and that he’s still alive; however, he’s mostly sure she does it by request of Mark more than for Dark’s sake. Which is fine, not many people do things to be kind to him seeing as he tends to isolate everyone who does.

He may or may not have a problem, but he still has yet to see how it would be viewed as such.

Mark and Host settle down in front of his desk, and Dark leans back with a raised brow.  
“Gentlemen?”  
“The rest of the gang think you’re fake.”

“They’ve never met you so they think you’re just talked about to scare them.” Dark snorts at that, drawing himself forward once more to lean his elbows on the desk.

“Oh really? Should I be bothered?”  
“They are less willing to follow a leader they do not believe is real. They do not fear Mark, though they should, and the Host is unwilling to play leader for this gang.” Host states flatly, and Dark rolls his eyes.

Of course.

“Do you want me to hold a meet and greet?” He snarks, and Mark laughs at the mere idea of that.

“No, Dark, nothing like that. Maybe just come talk to them with me there so they know you are actually my brother and not just me in makeup?”  
“Will this help our sudden decrease in success as of late?” Dark asks, hating that he’s actually considering this.

“The Host believes it will greatly improve the results of Iplier gang outings.”

Ah. Well then.

“Very well, I’ll come tell the kiddies hello to please you two. When will we be doing it?”  
“As soon as we can.”  
“Tomorrow, perhaps? Call a meeting, Mark, and I’ll make the dramatic appearance they seem to crave.” Dark drawls, and Mark rolls his eyes.  
“Edgy dramaqueen.” He grumbles, and Dark narrows his eyes.

“Preppy pissbaby.” They all erupt into laughter, Dark and Host’s laughing quieter than Mark’s.

“Alright Dark. Get some sleep tonight?”  
“Mm, I will try.”  
“Please?”  
“I will try, Mark. I can’t promise.”  
“The Host believes it will be beneficial to Dark’s mental health if he rested more.”  
“Well, unfortunately, I don’t choose to stay up now do I?”

The other two sigh, and Mark moves to give Dark a hug despite knowing how much Dark hates it when he does that. Host gives a nod, and Dark inclines his head slightly despite the fact Host can’t see it. Habit from when Host was Author.

So much has changed.

The door clicks shut and Dark is left alone once more, bathed in the light of the dying day. In the shadows of dusk, Dark makes his way to the window to look out at his domain.

Across the city, on the west side, he knows the Septiceyes lay in waiting. A rowdy bunch with a leader that could be gentle and soft in one second, and colder than dry ice in the next. A fickle man, to be certain, but a man that meant well.

A shame they’d never gotten on well.

Shaking his head, Dark glances at the clock on his desk to tell him the time. Running a hand through his hair, for once the man considers going to join Mark and Amy for dinner. Mark has told him time and time again he’s family, he’s allowed to eat with them. He’s never been able to shake of the feeling of wrong he gets being around the two when they’re together. Like he’s a piece that was moved to the wrong point on the board and needs to be hurried away.

Dark doesn’t feel comfortable invading the rare time Mark has free to spend with his beloved, so he doesn’t. Usually.

Now, though, he considers it. He’s been doing that a lot lately, considering. He knows that Host will be eating with Mark and Amy tonight, they’d all been considerate enough to tell him that much.

With a heavy sigh, he shakes his head again. No, not tonight. Perhaps…

A laugh from downstairs sends his thoughts across the floor, shattered and displaced. Annoyed, he wants to tell them to keep quiet, but… Gripping tightly to the back of his chair as he draws in four long breaths, he feels a little better.

He heads downstairs, and ignores their resounding shock as he fixes a plate.

Maybe he should open back up a bit.

\----

The meeting is called, and they all swarm to listen to what it is Mark will say. They all love Mark. He’s intimidating sometimes, sure, but he’s fun! He listens and he laughs and he talks, he’s human. They’ve all agreed that Dark, Mark’s supposed younger brother who’s running things behind the scenes, is fake. They’re all sure it’s either Host that’s really Dark, or a ploy for Mark to do some dirtier things and get off clean.

Still, they love Mark too much to be mad about him lying about having a younger brother with a dangerous temper. They take it as a warning, and leave it at that. Then again, there’s Blue, who claims he works with Dark. No one believes him by now, which pisses him off, but they don’t really care. Again, they either believe he just works with Host or with Mark.

Mark steps into the room, the quiet form of Host coming in behind him. The room hushes, but only a bit. They all usually talk during meetings anyways, Mark won’t care.

Then, the door to a room the others had never entered opens. The door that Blue, Host, and Mark always vanish behind but never anyone else. No one else ever comes out either, not until today.

The man that appears seems to bathe the room in ice as he steps forward, shutting the door firmly behind him. Blue smirks smugly at those who have doubted him, and everyone else sits in shocked silence.

His gaze is terrifying as it sweeps over the room. He exudes professionalism and a harsh cruelty that only someone who’s sacrificed nearly all of their humanity could achieve. His eyes are dark and stormy, and he’s nearly everything he’s rumored to be. Only thing missing is the ringing, which means that’s the only untrue tale told about him.

His voice, as he speaks, is eloquent and powerful. It holds the room in a vice, everyone in the room listens with rapt attention.

“It would seem that you all have come to doubt that I exist, as foolish as that sounds. You all believe I am some entity, a cryptid if you will, and I am here to prove to you that I am not. My name is Dark, as you know, and I am indeed Mark’s younger brother. I helped him found this bunch, and I can just as easily help take it apart.” Too afraid to speak, they all remain silent.

This seems to be the desired effect, as he smirks and adjusts his suit calmly.

“I’m here to remind you all that you needn’t know me by name or face to follow my orders without failure. Unfortunate that I have to remind you that this is not a place for misfits to huddle for warmth in an icy tundra. This is somewhere you work in order to be kept safe. You are one of us, of course, but you will not be tolerated if you cannot properly pull your weight.” Dark glances to Host, as though he’s a shining example of the fact you can be anything no matter what you go through. .

Host was blind and yet he successfully did everything asked of him without hesitation, without fail. They all knew of another less fortunate than him that failed to adapt to losing sight and as a result has never been seen or heard from since.

They all knew that if you became a liability you disappeared, but never before had that seemed so real.

What they didn’t know was that Author was alive and well, and standing in front of them now. What they didn’t know was that once an Iplier, always an Iplier. You died being cared for, not being slaughtered or abandoned for weakness.

Perhaps Dark should have told them but making them believe they would be killed for slacking was a lovely incentive.

Dark clears his throat and looks out at the fearful and awestruck crowd, lifting a brow.  
“Any questions, then?”

Silence, until a voice Dark recognizes as the doctor’s says quite simply: “It’s good to finally meet you, I think.”

Dark realizes within a moment the doctor didn’t mean to speak what he thought, and holds back a laugh at the wide eyed expression. Instead, he summons a charming smile. He knows this man means something to Host, he wouldn’t want to scare him too badly.

“Why, doctor, it’s a pleasure to formally meet you all as well.” He purrs, and again has to bite back a laugh when Iplier pales.

He always finds it funny that the doctor happened to share a last name with the gang. While the gang name had ended up being pronounced differently, the similar spelling had brought endless amusement to Mark and Dark alike.

Dark knows no one else will speak, so he takes a dramatic bow and smirks at them.  
“I look forward to doing more business with you in the future gentlemen and otherwise.” He states, and with that he turns on his heel and disappears through the door he appeared from.

As the door shuts, he hears the room behind him erupt into chaos, and he laughs harder than he has in a long time.


End file.
